Seems like just yesterday I was starting my precontest journal, but with the show over, that journal has finally seen its completion. So now it's on to bigger and better things (literally). I'm nearly finished with my week of rest following a rough 12 week contest prep training program and I'm anxious as hell to get back in the gym. So here's the point:

Goals!
Short Term:
-Bench 315 by the end of 2006 (a +20 lbs. increase from my previous 1 RM)
-Weigh in at 176-180 by the end of 2006 (basically regain my pre-contest cut weight)

Long Term:
-Tip the scales at 200lbs. by the time I've got my bachelors degree (June 2008)

At first, this seemed like too much, but that means I've gotta put 25 pounds on from my previous weight high of 176. That's only 1 lb./month, granted I'm sitting about 157 lbs. right now so it's more like 2/month. But I think that's more than achievable!

Here's my starting statistics:
Weight = 157 lbs. (up from ~152 contest weight a week ago)

14.5" biceps
11.5" forearm
21.5" quads (what's with all the .5's??)
15" calves
15" neck
30" waist
40.5" chest (lats flexed, 38" relaxed)

Check out my previous two journals to see how I've gotten where I am now, or get the breif overview in my video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrsDKZBIU48

Without further ado, here's the plan for the elusive 200lbs. mark!

DIET!!!

Key to success is right here! So I'll be incorporating a lot of what I've gotten out of Macrobolic Nutrition, which is basically a balanced meal containing protein, fats, and low GI carbs into every meal, with the exception of low fats postworkout and low carbs prebedtime.

Cheat meals are gonna be sporadic. Whenever they pop up, I'll take them though I'll do my best not to overdo it. I will have a basic diet outline which will look something like this:

Meal 1- 6 egg whites, 2 whole eggs, 3/4 cup oats, 1 scoop whey, 1 banana, 1 tsp flax oil

Meal 2- 6-8oz. steak, 1 cup veggies, 2 slices whole wheat bread w/natty PB or almond butter

Meal 3- big sandwich (whole wheat bread, roast beef, ham, turkey, veggies, cheese), 1 scoop whey + milk

Meal 4- stir fried shrimp (veggies, shrimp, some peanuts, cooked in flax oil), 1 cup brown rice

(((WORKOUT)))

Meal 5- 1/2 serving gainer shake + whey, 1/2 cup oats, 1 cup yogurt

Meal 6- 6-8oz chicken breast, 1 cup veggies, 1 sweet potato

Meal 7- 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 1 tbsp. flax oil, 1 serving Mega Milk

Given this rough estimate, here's the nutrition:

4,570 calories
136g fat
429g carbs
399g protein


This meal plan is gonna vary slightly every week as I'll be trying to apply some caloric cycling (per Tudor Bompa's "Serious Strength Training") and increasing calories weekly by about 300 for 3-4 weeks followed by a substantial drop for a week (akin to a hardening phase i suppose). Expect it to be something along the lines of:

Week 1- 3,400 calories
Week 2- 3,700 calories
Week 3- 4,000 calories
Week 4- 4,500 calories
Week 5- 3,000 calories
*Repeat

Training

I'll be doing DoggCrapp training for the first few months of my bulkfest. I've been dying to try an increased frequency training program and this one really seems to be kickass. Though, it's gonna be weird only being in the gym 3 days a week after spending nearly 2 years going every weekday. Oh well, whatever gets me growing! I'll be hitting only one exercise for one Rest-Pause (RP) set per muscle group each day (excluding warm up sets). Here's my training protocol, it's a Monday, Wednesday, Friday rotation:

DC Initial Training Cycle

Day 1-
• Chest- Flat DB Press
• Shoulders- Dumbbell Overhead Press
• Triceps- Dips
• Back width- Chin Ups
• Back thickness- Deadlifts

Day 3-
• Biceps- Hammer Curls
• Forearms- Barbell Curls
• Hamstrings- Leg Curls
• *Calves- Leg Press Calves
• Quads- Squats

Day 5-
• Chest- Incline Barbell Press
• Shoulders- Barbell Overhead Press
• Triceps- Close Grip Bench
• Back width- Pull Downs
• Back thickness- Barbell Rows

Day 8-
• Biceps- Incline Dumbbell curls
• Forearms- Reverse Grip Cable Curls
• Hamstrings- Stiff-legged Deadlifts
• *Calves- Seated Calves
• Quads- Front Squats

Day 10-
• Chest- Flat Barbell Bench
• Shoulders- Machine Shoulder Press
• Triceps- Skull Crushers
• Back width- V-bar pulldowns
• Back thickness- Seated V-bar Rows

Day 12-
• Biceps- Machine Preacher Curls
• Forearms- Dumbbell Forearm Curls
• Hamstrings- Leg Curls
• *Calves- Standing Smith Calves
• Quads- Leg Press


Extreme Stretches-
• Chest- 10s top of DB flat, drop down to stretch for 50s
• Triceps- 10s dropdown on overhead DB ext. 50s hold
• Shoulders- BB on rack, put shoulders against from back, grab bar, walk away 60s
• Biceps- as above, grip reverses, sink down like a squat, 45-60s
• Back width- hand with weight from chin up for 60s
• Back thickness- grab equipment, sit down and stretch with rounded back, 60s
• Hamstrings- Leg up on a barbell and push leg as straight as possible, 60s
• Quads- barbell on rack hip high, sissy squat down, up on toes, lean back, 60s
• *Calves- none, on exercise do 5s negative each rep with 15s stretch at bottom

Rep Scheme-
• 6-8 reps, 15 deep breaths, 2-4 reps, 15 deep breaths, 1-3 reps
• 6-8s negative after last rep on each rest/pause segment

Supplements

Finally my supp regimen. I'll just list it all off for ya, excluding protein supps & flax oil, which are in my diet portion.

During the day:
1 NOW Adam Multivitamin twice a day
3 tabs ZMA (or 4 Z-Force) before bed
During product trial, Melting Point

Preworkout:
2 Scoops NO-Xplode
2 Scoops GlycerGrow

During Workout:
3 Scoops Xtend
1 Scoop GlycerGrow
1 Scoop Gatorade powder

Postworkout:
1 scoop Xtend
3.2g Bulk CEE powder

Trying to keep it a bit simpler. Though in a month or so I'll be running the free products I got at the ONBF, a natural test booster, Kre-Alkalyn, and Naturally Juic'd. Should be an interesting time!

I made GREAT gains with making additions immediately postcontest, 3 weeks later and 6 weeks later. I wouldn't necessarily add back on a weekly basis b/c it takes time to let your body adapt. The initial add back was the largest and diminishing in size as time passed. I would follow my postcontest plan again to a T, so feel free to check out that journal of mine. I referenced an article by Aceto for assistance w/ diet.

Actually, the philosophy in Serious Strength Training was daily caloric variance on a 4-day split. I didnt feel like putting the effort into doing that much planning. I may only modify every 2-3 weeks then but still doing reduced calories every 6-8 weeks.

Were your measurement stats taken when flexing or relaxing?

flexed

Hey Bryan, looks great. My only critique is that some exercises aren't RP'd, and other's have a higher RP than everything being 15 RP. For example, skullcrushers are awesome at 20-30 RP. Also, deadlifts are usually 2 sets (1 x 6-10, 1 x 3-4 heavier). Same with squats (1 x 4-8, 1 x 20). But you know all this already as per my email.

Good luck!..And trust me, you'll be glad you have 4 days off per week!

additions immediately postcontest meaning? higher than before you started cutting or just higher than your cutting diet?

Higher than cutting. Enjoy your postcontest gains. Hit those legs and back hard!!

plan on it. today is chins and deads. i've got every intention of kicking some major ass!! one thing i'm looking forward to is plateauing on my deadlifts so i can swap them out for power cleans, i've been aching to incorporate them into my workout lately.

T-Minus 30 minutes until 1st DoggCrapp workout! I've got spreadsheet made for every single day and a cheat sheet for rep ranges and stretching protocol, just gotta pick up a 3-ring binder at the bookstore on the way to the gym.

New Gym!
New Program!
New Supps!
New Goals!
I'm STOKED!!!!

Kick ass workout! Damn it felt good just to be back in there and our new gym at WSU is SWEET!!! All new equipment, plenty of benches, plasma TVs for the cardio section (not that I'm watching them. Pretty good lighting too, just dim enough and casts great shadows for posing between sets in the mirrors

DoggCrapp was pretty cool. The chest RP kicked my butt though, but I think that's more because I hadn't experienced the strain of it yet. The rest of the workout went well.

Flat DB presses- 85 lbs. x 8-2-1 reps, 20s static
DB Overhead Press- 50 lbs. x 8-4-2 reps, 20s static
Dips- 70 lbs. x 8-3-2, 20s static (didn't like these, our gym doesnt have a good dip setup, will swap next time)
Chin Ups- 35lbs. x 10-6-4 reps, 20s static
Deadlifts- 295x8, 325x4, 20s static on seated row

I really like the extreme stretching protocols. They feel absolutely great, when you're finished with them of course, especially chest. Weighed out at 161 lbs. (up 10 lbs. from contest last week ) Looked very full and thick today.

Also, got some great pump from the RP + 8s negative + static. NO-Xplode certainly helped. I like the fruit punch but if fills me up a bit and makes my tongue tingle, lol.

Smashed a yogurt, 2 scoops gainer, 1 scoop whey, 1/2 bowl oatmeal for PWO. MMmmm!

The cover for my logbook (note the inspirational leg shots):

Attached Image

Mild DOMS today, not too bad. Interestingly, my upper/inner back is dcently sore for not hitting it directly at all, with the exception of a 20s seated cable row static. Feels pretty good, though it feels really odd not prepping for a workout on a weekday like this. That's gonna be a tough mentality to break.

It does, however, feel GREAT to be smashing food again. I'm not having much trouble at all keeping with my 7 meals a day increasing my food volume either. Though, there are still times when I have to eat without hunger, which I don't care for, but it's better than being hungry

Edit://

End of the day, DOMS out the ASS! Who'd have thought 1 set would kick my ass more than anything I've done before? My entire back, top to bottom and wide, is sore. That's a first. Better be cleaned up by Friday to hit it again!

Still some good DOMS today. Though, in spite of it, my chest feels rather full today. I like it. Just feels good to feel full, physique-wise that is.

First lower body/biceps DC workout today. Good times! The intensity of 8s negative drop sets is GREAT and the 20s statics are kickass! My arms were lookin badass with fibers and veins poppin all over the place doing hammer curl statics for 20s. The leg portion was particularly good!

I LOVE the calf training style of doing 5s negatives on each rep with 15 stretch at the bottom (all this on a leg press) for 12 reps. That's 4 total minutes under tension, but my calves felt great afterwards, nice and demolished. Hamstrings were sweet because, guess what Rich!, we got a seated leg curl machine in the new gym!!! I missed those since training legs with rich a few months ago. Still trying to tag the right weights on some of these leg workouts though. Squats on the smith rack were good. The 4 rep followed by 20 rep is pretty sweet. Also, our new Smith machines are badass. The safety catches actually flip the bar so it locks out for you (compared to the old one that just had springs to keep the bar from crushing you. Good times.

Only thing is I'm having a little difficulty getting some of the stretches right. Some are awkward and dont seem to hit things as hard as others. Namely i'm having trouble with the quad, bicep, and deltoid stretches. But they still stretch, just is odd. And the tricep stretch kills my shoulder joint...

Final comment, NO-Xplode is pretty sweet. I was psyched to hit the gym, I blew through everything with a great mental focus and energy today and in the locker room i was jumping around with excitement. that was with 2 scoops 45 mins preworkout. I think I may end up keeping my 6 tubs

sup bryan i jus have to say your one dedicated dude.

you should try doing this with no xplode

1st week
-1 1/4 scoop

2nd week
-1 1/2 scoop

3rd week
-2 scoops

4th week
off or continue 2 scoops

I never liked the quad stretches laying under the smith machine bar either. I just set the smith bar waist height and did one at a time, one minute apiece. For deltoids, you could also do them in the dip station as well. You just rotate your grip so your fingers are inboard, then just use your bodyweight and stretch forward/down. The biceps one just hurts, and if you have problems, you could use wrist wraps too because my forearms as toast after my worksets.

Melting Point arrived today, and none too soon. I'm starting to get soft! This should be fun! Look for MP specific comments in another log in the product testers section.

Another great workout today. You know it's a great leg day when your legs are quivering whenever you're standing up. Mostly from the high TUT of the seated calf raises today, they felt good. Front squats for 20 reps was rough, though I got it out but it took more of a 15 reps, 10 seconds, 5 reps, 8s negative to get out. The 20s static on front squats wasnt too bad, but it hurt nonetheless.

I'm really liking NO-Xplode. A much cleaner preworkout boost than Redline and seems to carry well into the workout. Not to mention I've got vascularity out the ass after doing bicep work! Looks hot!!! Not to mention the Fruit Punch flavor is actually pretty good, especially considering my previous experiences with "punch" flavored preworkout mixes (cough cough, Clout!). Very glad I stocked up on it when it was on sale.

Finally, I got some funny looks from some of the guys in my gym when I told them my new routine is 3-days a week with one working set per muscle group. Of course, this was from the 2-hours in the gym crew, but hey, a year from now when I'm thick and heavy at 190, those faces will change to amazement. Yea!

Cannot imagine how you must've looked. There are no statics for back thickness and quad exercises.